cheers to 2013! here's what we're looking forward to…

2012 was a great year for (cool) progeny — thanks to all of you and our growing creative team. We know today and tomorrow is often a time of retrospection and reflection: what did I accomplish in 2012? What can I do better in 2013? But quite honestly, we don’t really need to add to our own stress in 2013. Therefore, members of our team have come up with a collection of things we’re looking forward to in 2013 rather than changes we resolve to make.

Sounds much nicer that way, right? Cheers to you and yours in 2013. Here’s wishing you much love, laughter and JOY!

Heather W., Editor: 2013 is a big year for us: new baby AND a wedding! I’m looking forward to greeting the new little guy in mere weeks (can count them on one hand!) and helping my sister plan the most amazing backyard fall wedding ever. Can’t wait to see what surprises the Bug has in store — seems there are surprises daily with a preschooler. Since we’re coming off some major house renovations, I’m looking forward to making the space “ours,” enjoying the new, much-needed storage space, and finding time to experiment more in the kitchen. There are some exciting plans in the works for (cool) progeny and I can’t wait to kick start them, too. Stay tuned. 2013 has TONS in store!

Stacey: I’m looking forward to watching my 2 1/2 year old, who just learned how to walk, run around his new backyard with his dog Jack. Oh, and maybe a World Series win by the Orioles??!!!! What an exciting time to be a Maryland sports fan!

Lara: In 2013, I’m looking forward to advancements in science which will bring about the debut of calorie free Nutella and sarcasm incompatible teenaged daughters. It is my sincere hope that the price of coffee and gas will decline as the value of our homes and 401K programs sky rocket. My wish for every parent is a healthy, happy child(ren) and dishes that miraculously clean themselves whilst we slumber, uninterrupted, nightly. Oh, and world peace would totally rock too!

Angela: Finish our gallery wall / print and frame family photos; get my daughter sleeping through the night un-swaddled and in her crib; more dates with my four year old sweetness; more dates with my much older sweetness; plan a vacation. sand and sunshine preferred; attend more births; find a kick ass babysitter that my kids love and that put both kids to bed with ease; write; laugh more. way more; make time for me.

Jen C.: I’ve never been great with resolutions, but I do look forward to a new year of possibilities. Here are some things I’m looking forward to in 2013: more coffee dates with friends, watching my husband’s career grow, experiencing my own career growth, reading new stories to my kids before bed, cuddling, trips to New York City, trips out west, the beginning of spring when the trees turn vibrant green and look so fresh and new, summer vacation, laughing so hard it hurts, date nights, dining al fresco. Sending my sincerest wishes to you and your family for a healthy, happy and joyous 2013!

Bridget: I love the New Year. The chance to set fresh goals in my life and my business. I relish the opportunity to be a better me, a better mom, wife, daughter and friend in 2013. Here’s wishing each of you a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Laura: I’m looking forward to (fingers crossed) making a new home for my family and starting/continuing some family traditions. Also having a place to shove all their toys and crap so I don’t have to look at it or pick them up EVERY day; Seeing the boys really enjoy the snow for the first time. Watching Addie graduate from kindergarten and with any luck not cry up on stage during the entire ceremony.

Janelle: Finishing my kids baby books. I need 12 hours locked in my bedroom but I know I can start/finish the last three baby books.(Of course the oldest kid’s is finished.) It’s so important to me to have them finished. One of my favorite things is looking through my own baby book. I’ve been stockpiling photos, papers, clippings. Now I just need to compile them; 2) Vacation with my husband. Alone. It takes a village to get coverage for four kids. But thanks to flying my sister-in-law and brother-in-law up from Florida, my nanny, and my parents, we are getting away for FOUR nights (one for each kid, LOL) and planning on doing nothing. I want to be bored. I want to sleep in. I want silence; 3) Being proud of me. In 2013, I am doing something I never thought I would – training for a sprint triathalon. I am done having babies (*sob*) and so it’s time for me. In 2012 I ran more than I had in my original 36 years. It made me happy. And proud. And I can see myself crossing that finish line in August. It’s so easy to put mommy last, and in 2013 I’m trying to move myself up a notch or two.

Mary Alice: I like to assign a theme to each year, instead of a resolution. This year’s theme for me is “No/Thanks” – meaning I will work hard on saying no to things and not over-committing, and also to giving thanks for all the things I am so lucky and grateful for! I am also looking forward to a complete kitchen renovation – which starts in a couple days. If we can make it through 6 weeks with a two year old and no working kitchen, we do anything.

Cara: Try to play with my kids at least a little bit each day. I mean sit down and play. Doesn’t have to be long, it doesn’t have to be both of them, but to engage with them in something they like. Too often I just try to get through my chores and get them to bed. And gahhh there are days when I don’t get to play like even 5 minutes with them. Alone time: this is something we already make an effort to do in our house, but with two munchkins and two busy parents, it can be difficult to fit in. So I’m going to step it up this coming year. Whether it’s a full-on date night with my little man, or just a trip to the grocery store with one of the two, we’ll spend more one-on-one time talking and laughing with each of them in 2013.

Madeline: Another year of watching my kids grow, develop into real people, learn new things, master new tricks – looking back wondering where all the time went; hoping my 3 yr old crazy boy allows us to fully enjoy a meal in a restaurant; filling my fridge with more beautiful artwork, filling the camera with more adorable faces; slowing down…taking the time for all of the little things: practicing reading, getting on the floor and playing barbies or tinker toys, watching them play instead of looking on my phone, talking about their days over dinner….; would love to go to bed a little earlier and wake up a little later; looking forward to growing my business and fulfilling some of my big goals; hoping each day is full of laughter, screaming, smiling, eye rolling, joy and commotion – after all that is what makes me happiest!

Kory: 2013 will be the year of smiling families! I can’t wait for more laughs, fun, and chaos with my own kiddies. I am also pumped to spend less time at a desk and more time helping other mommies like me to capture their own happy memories when I’m not around! Let’s do this 2013!

Heather S.: I am looking forward to Asher being diaper free (fingers crossed), selling all my junk on Ebay, and being at the gym five days a week so that I can be the sexiest mommy at the pool this summer. Lastly, I look forward to having my job, Asher’s school, and a Target within a mile of my home. Urban living at its best!

Jenn A.: 2012 was a year of big changes, with a new house, new school, and new baby all in 2 months time. This year, I’m looking forward to all of the less intense but equally cool milestones–passing the deep water test, ditching the training wheels, mastering the skuut bike, and all sorts of changes for Bea from crawling to walking and everything in between. As for me, I want to learn to make the perfect loaf of bread and finally use the sewing machine I got for Christmas last year (even though that one requires unpacking those final boxes!). Most importantly, I’m looking for a way to slow down time because this last year was way too fast!

About the Authorheather

Heather is editor-in-chief of (cool) progeny. When not scouting the best in everything kid and family, you'll probably find her running The Weisse Group or adventuring around town with her daughter (the Bug), her son (the Little Lion Man) and husband. Can be won over with a good glass of wine or something homemade. Addicted to Pinterest. A two-cups-of-coffee-a-day kinda gal. Only pretends to know what she's doing with her SLR, even though she's got a fantastic lens on it.Thankful it does most of the work for her. Navigating the new-to-her world of special needs' parenting. Trying to pay it forward one day at a time. #littlelionchallenge